Electric heating unit



Oct. 16, 1951 J MCORLLY 2,571,274

ELECTRIC HEATING UNIT Original Filed Feb. 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l JOSEPH. M cORLLY INVENTOR Oct. 16, 1951 MCQRLLY 2,571,274

ELECTRIC HEATING UNIT Original Filed Feb. 12, 1945 7 FIG. 3.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 46 FIG. 4-.

5 47 71 M 6 J l Z I w I I r 40 J4 J1 a q JOSEPH Mc.0RLLY INVE NTOR Patented Oct. 16, 1951 ELECTRIC HEATING UNIT Joseph McOrlly, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assig'nor to Edwin L. Wiegand Company; Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania- Original application February 12, 1945, Serial No. 577,521. Divided and this application May 27, 1949, Serial No. 95,709

Claims.

My invention relates toan electric heating unit, and has particular application to electric heating units of the' type used onelectric rangesand electric hot plates, herein referred to as electric range units, and the principal object of my invention is to provide a new and improvedelectric heating unit of this type.

This application is'a' division of mycopending application Serial Number 577,521, filed February 12, 1945, now Patent Number 2,550,843, issued 4 May 1, 1951.

In the drawings accompanying and formin a part of this application I have shown for purposes ofillustrationwhat I now consider to be the best mode of carrying my invention into practice, and in'these drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of this illustrative embodiment,

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2'2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 isa horizontal section through the terminal block, on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view'similar'to Figure 3 showing an alternative arrangement of connections,

Figure 5 is afurther view similar to Figure 3 showing a further arrangement of connections, and

Figure-6 is aview showing the frame and heating element assembly displaced to permit removal of the reflector.

The embodiment of my invention herein disclosed comprisesa supporting ring I 9 constructed and arranged to carrying a reflector 2D and a heating element assembly 25, the latter comprising-a frame 30 and two heating elements 45 and 46.

The supporting: ring Ill'is formed of a single piece of sheet metal and is U-shape is cross-sec tion comprising an annular top portion II, a relatively long tubular portion I2 depending from the inner margin of the top portion H and con structed to enter the usual opening in the top of the range or hot plate, and a relatively short skirt [3 depending from the outer margin of the top portion II and adapted to rest on the margin of the top of the stove or hot plate surrounding the opening in which the tubular portion 12 is received.

The tubular portion [2 of the supporting ring In is provided adjacent its lower margin with three struck-in portions I4, and the reflector and heating element assembly are supported by the supporting ring l0 respectively by the margin 2-l of the reflector 20 resting on these three struck-in portions 14, and by the three arms 3l-ab-c of the frame 30resting on'the margin 21 of the reflector 26 above the struck-in portions l4.

lThe tubular portion l2 of the supporting ring l6-' is provided-also with three slots l5 directly above the three struck-in'po'rtions l4, and the reflector 20 and'heating element assembly 25 are quiCk-detachably retained in position in the supportin ring- If) by the tips-32 of the arms 31 of the frame 36 snapping into these slots l5in the tubular portion i2 of the supporting ring ID.

The frame 38 comprises also a further arm '33 extending opposite the arm 3 l aand is confined to a single position'relative to the supporting ring It? by engagement of the tips 34 of the bifurcatedouter portion35 of the arm 33- in further slots [5 provided in the annular portion I2 of the supporting ring In intermediate the slots l5 for the tips 32 of the arms 3lb and 3lc.

The electric heating elements 45 and 46 are of the tubular type, each comprising a tubular metallic sheath 41, a helical resistor 48 extending longitudinally of the sheath 41, and refractory m-aterial'49 embedding the resistor 48 and serving both to insulate the resistor 48-and also to conduct the heat from the resistor 48 to the sheath 41.

The element 46 is disposed generally surrounding the element 4-5, to afiord a desired distribution of heat, especially when only the element 45 is energized, and the element 45 is provided with downwardly offset terminal portions 5! and 52 terminating in terminals 53 and 54, and the element 46 with downwardly oflfset terminal portions 6| and 62 terminating in terminals 63 and 64.

As shown in Figure 3, the terminals 53-54 and 63--64'enter a terminal block 10 provided with a central recess 'Hin which is disposed at double connector 12 and with two laterally disposed recesses 13' and 14 in which are disposed two single connectors 15 and 76. Leading to the central recess II are two passages 11 and 18 through which the one terminal 64' of the element 46 and the one terminal 53 of the element 45, enter and are connected to the double connector block 12, while leading respectively to the laterally disposed recesses 73 and 14 are two passages Hand through which the other terminal 54 of the element 45 and the other terminal 64 of the element 46, enter and are se: cured respectively to the connector blocks 15 and 16.

In the opposite direction from the passages 11-86-the terminal block 10 is provided with three passages 8|, 82, and 83, through which usual feed wires may be inserted and connected respectively to the double connector block 12 and the two single connector blocks 15 and I6, and all of the terminals and feed wires are held in position by clamping screws 7 84, as is well known in the art.

In the alternate arrangement shown in Figure 4, the terminals 53-54 and 6364 enter a terminal block 96, provided at one side with a doublerecess 9| in which is disposed a double connector 92 to which are secured the terminals 53 and 63, provided at the other side with two single recesses 93 and 94 in which are disposed two single connectors 95 and 96 to which are secured the terminals 64 and 54 respectively, and provided in the opposite direction with three passages 97, 38, and 99, through which usual feed wires may be inserted and connected to the double connector 92 and the single connectors 95 and 96 respectively.

However, in the further arrangement shown in Figure 5, designed for two-wire feed, the terminals 5354 and 6364 enter a terminal block I00, provided at one side with a double recess IBI in which is disposed a double connector I02 to which are secured the terminals 53 and 63, provided at the other side with another double recess I03 in which is disposed another double connector N34 to which are secured the remaining terminals 54 and 64, and provided in the opposite direction with two passages I55 and I66, through which usual feed wires may be inserted and connected to the two double connectors I62 and I04 respectively.

In any event the element 45 is provided with two depending loops 55 and 56 constructed and arranged to be engaged respectively with a finger 36 on the arm 3m and with a finger 31 on the further arm 33 and thereby to hold the element 45 in position on the frame 30. The element 46 is provided with only one depending loop 65, constructed and arranged to be engaged with a second finger 38 on the arm 3la, of the frame 36, however the terminal portions til-62 of the element 46 closely straddle the bifurcated portion 35 of the further arm 33, and thereby additionally position the element 46 relative to the frame 36.

As appears in the drawings, the finger 38 holding the element 46 extends in the opposite direction from the fingers 36 and 37 holding the element 45, so that the element 45 is disengageable from the frame 36 by movement relative to the frame 33 in one direction, and the element 46 by movement relative to the frame 35 in the opposite direction. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the terminal portions l52 and 6l62, and the terminals 53-54 and 63-64, of the elements 45 and 46, all are relatively rigid. Therefore when the terminals 5354 and 5364 are connected in the terminal block in, 30, or I66, the elements 45 and 46 are effectively held against the movements in opposite directions necessary to disengage either the loops 55 and 56 from the fingers 36 and 31 or the loop 65 from the finger 38, and thereby both of the elements 45 and 46 are secured against detachment from the frame 30. Also the element 46, although secured to the frame 36 at only one place, nevertheless also is held against the frame 30 throughout.

The reflector 20 is provided with a central opening 22 for the discharge of spillage and for ventilation, and with a cut-out 23 for the ter-" minal portions 5I52 and 6I62 of the elements 45 and 46, and is held against annular movement by engagement of the sides 24 of the cutout 23 with the terminal portions 5l52 of theelement 45.

With the above construction, the heating element assembly may be conveniently cleaned, also the reflector, the supporting ring, or both, may be removed for cleaning or replacement, merely by displacing the heating element assembly into approximately the position shown in Figure 6. The heating element assembly may be removed entirely, merely by disconnecting the three feed Wires. Or either or both of the elements may be removed from the frame, merely by disconnecting sufficient of the heating element terminals. And of course by the reverse operations the various parts may be reassembled with equal facility.

From the foregoing it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the embodiment of my invention herein disclosed provides a new and improved electric heating unit and therefore accomplishes at least the principal object of my invention. On the other hand, it Will be obvious also that Various modifications and changes may be made, while still retaining some or all of the advantages and benefits, and therefore that the within disclosure is illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

Wherefore I claim:

1. An electric hot-plate assembly, comprising an electric heating element, a frame including radially disposed arms on which said heating element is mounted, at least two of said arms being substantially parallel and extending from opposite sides of said frame, a reflector pan, and a ring for supporting the heating element, frame and reflector pan in a stove-top opening, said ring being generally U-shaped in cross-section and including a laterally extending ring-like top portion adapted to rest on the margin of a stovetop opening, and a tubular portion depending from the inner margin of said ring-like top portion and constructed to enter the stove-top opening, the said depending tubular portion having supporting means substantially below the uppermost end thereof and inturned toward its center on which the reflector pan and the heating element supporting frame are adapted to rest, whereby the said ring, heating element, heating element supporting frame and reflector pan may be removed from the stove-top opening as a unit, and opposed frame arm receiving means in said depending tubular portion into which the ends of the oppositely disposed substantially parallel arms of the heater element supporting frame relatively loosely extend a distance beyond the inner periphery of the depending tubular portion, whereby the said heating element supporting frame may be disassembled from the depending tubular portion of said ring by lateral movement of the supporting frame relative to said tubular portion.

2. An electric hot-plate assembly, comprising an electric heating element, a frame including radially disposed arms on Which said heating rest on the margin of a stove-top opening, and a tubular portion depending from the inner marin of the ring-like top portion and constructed to enter the stove-top opening, the said depending tubular portion having supporting means therein substantially below the uppermost end thereof on which the reflector pan is adapted to rest, at least two substantially oppositely disposed frame arm receiving means in the wall of said depending tubular portion and above the reflector pan supporting means into which the substantially oppositely disposed arms of the heating element supporting frame relatively loosely extend a distance beyond the inner periphery of the depending tubular portion for positioning and securing the supporting frame within the tubular portion, whereby the said ring, heating element, heating element supporting frame and reflector pan may be removed from the stove-top opening as a unit, and whereby the said heating element supporting frame may be disassembled from the tubular portion of said ring by lateral movement of the supporting frame relative to said tubular portion.

3. An electric hot-plate assembly, comprising an electric heating element, a frame including radially disposed arms on which said heating element is mounted, at least two of said arms extending substantially oppositely to each other, a reflector pan, and a ring for supporting the heating element, frame and reflector pan in a stovetop opening, said ring being generally U-shaped in cross-section and including a laterally extending ring-like top portion adapted to rest on the margin of a stove-top opening, and a tubular portion depending from the inner margin of the ring-like top portion and constructed to enter the stove-top opening, the said depending tubular portion having supporting means therein substantially below the uppermost end thereof on which the reflector pan is adapted to rest, at least two substantially oppositely disposed frame arm receiving means in the wall of said depending tubular portion and above the reflector pan supporting means into which the substantially oppositely disposed arms of the heating element supporting frame relatively loosely extend a distance beyond the inner periphery of the tubular depending portion for positioning and securing the supporting frame Within the tubular portion, whereby the said ring, heating element supporting frame and reflector pan ma be removed from the stove-top opening as a unit, and whereby the said heating element supporting frame may be disassembled from the tubular portion of said ring by lateral movement of the supporting frame relative to said tubular portion, and means associated with one of said arms adapted to prevent lateral movement of said supporting frame in the opposite direction.

4. An electric hot-plate assembly, comprising an electric heatin element, a frame including radially disposed arms on which said heating element is mounted, at least two of said arms extending substantially oppositely to each other, a reflector pan, and a ring for supporting the heating element, frame and reflector pan in a stove-top opening, said ring being generally U-shaped in cross-section and including a laterally extending ring-like top portion adapted to rest on the margin of a stove-top opening, and a tubular portion depending from the inner margin of the ring-like top portion and constructed to enter the stove-top opening, the said depending tubular portion having supporting means therein substantially below the uppermost end thereof on which the reflector pan is adapted to rest, at least two substantially oppositely disposed openings in the wall of said depending tubular portion and above the reflector pan supporting means through which the substantially oppositely disposed arms of the heating element supporting frame relatively loosely extend for positioning and securing the supporting frame within the tubular portion, whereby the said ring, heating element, heating element supporting frame and reflector pan may be removed from the stove-top opening as a unit, and whereby the said heating element supporting frame may be disassembled from the tubular portion of said ring by lateral movement of the supporting frame relative to said tubular portion, the remaining radially disposed arms of said supporting frame likewise loosely extending through the openings in the Wall of said depending tubular portion of said ring in a manner to permit such lateral movement of the supporting frame.

5. An electric hot-plate assembly, comprising an electric heating element, a frame including radially disposed arms on which said heating element is mounted, at least two of said arms extending substantially oppositely to each other, a reflector pan, and a ring for supporting the heating element, frame and reflector pan in a stovetop opening, said ring being generally U-shaped in cross-section and includin a laterally extending ring-like top portion adapted to rest on the margin of a stove-top opening, and a tubular portion depending from the inner margin of the ring-like top portion and constructed to enter the stove-top opening, the said depending tubular portion having supporting means therein substantially below the uppermost end thereof on which the reflector pan is adapted to rest, at least two substantially oppositely disposed openings in the wall of said depending tubular portion and above the reflector pan supportin means through which the substantially oppositel disposed arms of the heating element supporting frame relatively loosely extend for positioning and securing the supporting frame within the tubular portion, whereby the said ring, heating element, heating element supporting frame and reflector pan may be removed from the stovetop opening as a unit, and whereby the said heating element supporting frame may be disassembled from the tubular portion of said ring by lateral movement of the supporting frame relative to said tubular portion, the remaining radially disposed arms of said supporting frame likewise loosely extending through said depending tubular portion of said ring in a manner to permit such lateral movement of the supporting frame, and means associated with one of said arms adapted to prevent lateral movement of said supporting frame in the opposite direction.

JOSEPH McORLLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,357,150 Vogel Aug. 29, 1944. 2,370,767 Backer Mar. 6, 1945 2,392,076 Wiegand Jan. 1, 19% 2,413,477 Wiegand Dec. 31, 1946 2,455,186 McCormick Nov. 30, 1948 2,457,007 Sutherland Dec. 21, 1948 2,502,988 Price Apr. 4, 1950 

